What Lies in The Deep
by NebulaWrites
Summary: Young eight year old Ling is on a ship with his mother on their way to his father's palace. He's up late one night looking at the sea but when the ship is hit by something and he falls into the water, what will happen to him? What is the thing that saves him, does it intend to hurt him or does it just want to keep him safe? T for Greed's lovely, lovely mouth XD
1. Captured

_OxO hi there XD i've got another one x3 so yeah. AU definitely._

 _Disclaimer: i don't own Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood or its characters._

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Moonlight shimmered against a still ship, reflected off the ocean, which was a deep midnight blue. To him it nearly matched the night sky if it didn't have stars and the moon, **"Prince Ling, come away from the railing."** At the voice the small boy looked up slowly, gazing at his guards, Lan Fan and Fu, lazily. **"I like looking at the sea though."** He objected a little as he turned his gaze back out to the sea, honestly when he looked at the water it gave him time to think. **"But it's not safe."** Fu objected.

Ling perked up suddenly, his gaze locked onto something odd that was _glowing_ from the water. **"Look out there! Do you see it?"** he exclaimed pointing to the amethyst glow, Lan Fan quickly joined his side and stared in the direction he was pointing. **"Grandfather there's a purple glow!"** she gasped and the prince stuck his tongue out, **"It's amethyst!"** he corrected before he gasped when the glow _blinked_ , **"It's a creature! It just blinked!"** he nearly shouted, **"Lan Fan, Prince Ling get away from the railing!"**

Lan Fan backed away obediently but Ling stayed where he was for a second more before suddenly the ship lurched making him fall over the railing. **"PRINCE LING!"** Fu shouted just before the small boy hit the water, after a second the prince could see around him under the water and he saw a massive creature swimming towards him. Out of nowhere another was in front of him, protecting him for a second before it turned around and grabbed him to shove him upwards. When his head broke the surface Ling began coughing, too dazed to hear the ruckus coming from the ship. **"** _ **Hold onto me**_ **!"** a voice hissed as the second creature broke the surface, quickly the boy wrapped his arms around the thing's neck tightly.

The first thing that came after him broke the surface, gashes down the side of its face and its beady eyes blazing in anger. It snapped at them and Ling gave a scream of fear, the one he was holding onto quickly caught the other's mouth with its hands and holding it agape. The thing's teeth were all flat and stubby like they were all molar teeth, the one he was holding onto gave a small hiss of anger and it shoved the larger one away. When something grabbed onto his foot, Ling gave another scream and suddenly something surfaced screeching in pain. Suddenly the one he was clinging to grabbed him and flipped him around, pinching his nose shut and covering his mouth with one hand before it dove underwater.

The boy squeezed his eyes shut quickly and clung to the creature's arms desperately, eventually he felt air against his face and he opened his eyes. The thing let go of his nose and uncovered his mouth to push him up onto a large rock with its bright gaze locked with the prince's own squinted. Now that it was calmer he could get a good look at it, it had dark slightly long hair, tanned skin, bright amethyst eyes and sharp teeth that were shown through his slightly parted lips. Slowly it pulled itself onto the rock next to Ling and in place of legs it had a fish's tail covered in bright scales with deep purple edges but the closer it got to the middle the lighter the color got. It was then he noticed the sharp claws the thing had and how well toned its muscles were.

And how warm it was.

Shivering slightly he scooted closer to it and after a second it wrapped its arms around him obviously knowing he was cold. The prince and the creature stayed this way for a while before suddenly it let go of him and slid back into the water. Ling frowned and followed its gaze to see an approaching extra boat from the ship he'd been on. Glancing back at the boy, the creature began swimming away up until it was hit with something, screeching in pain it gripped its side tightly. There was a fishing spear stabbed through its side and the creature was obviously smart enough to know if it moved in a wrong direction it'd bleed to death quickly.

Eyes glittering defiantly, it glared at the ones that threw a net around it while the others quickly helped the prince off the rock. **"What are you doing to it?"** he demanded instantly as two men pulled the creature closer using the net, **"Shut it kid!"** one snapped as he reached into the water to grip the creature's tail while the other grabbed its shoulders. They maneuvered it into the boat and wrapped the net around it tightly before they started heading back towards the main ship, which could be seen a bit away. Grabbing Fu's arm, Ling looked up at him with wide-open eyes, **"What are they going to do with it? Tell me** _ **now**_ **!"**

The guard looked down at the prince and frowned, **"We'll be taking it to your father's palace."** He replied eventually and Ling gasped, **"** _ **No**_ **! Father will get bored with it within a few days and have it killed! We cannot give it to him! It saved me we can't condemn it to death for that!"** he objected loudly as he got up and moved closer to the creature, which was slowly bleeding out with the fishing spear in its side. As the boy approached its amethyst eyes opened from the slits they'd been in. **"If anything we'll care for the wound you gave it and then we'll set it free!"** Ling snapped, his eyes still open and glittering in anger.

Fu grabbed the prince's arm and pulled him away from the trapped thing, **"We will do no such thing! It is going to your father!"** the guard growled pushing Ling back onto his seat and the fish man thing hissed in what seemed to be anger at the boy's rough treatment. **"Is my son okay?"** the frantic voice of the boy's mother asked the second they reached the side of the ship, Fu gripped Ling's arm tightly and made him start climbing the ladder. **"Mother it saved me, please do not give it to Father!"** the prince begged instantly as two ropes were thrown up and several grabbed onto said ropes and they pulled the creature up onto the deck. **"It didn't save you, it attacked you and took you away!"** his mother gave the creature a sickened once-over before she inspected her child worriedly.

" **It did not! If it wasn't for it then I would've been eaten or I would've drowned!"** he objected pulling back away from her to run over to the still netted sea creature, as he got closer he saw its pupils go from cat like slits to more round. **"Put it in a tub in the spare cabin."** The captain ordered and several of the sailors had to hold the creature as one pulled the net off. Lan Fan ran over and began pulling Ling away and as soon as the prince was a bit away the sea creature began thrashing, flipping the man on its tail off as it ripped its arms free. **"We need some help over here!"** one sailor shouted and more ran over to help, eventually the creature gave a scream of pure agony and the boy ran over again. **"Let it down!"** he shouted and the sailors dropped the creature, it landed heavily on its right shoulder and he saw why it had screamed, the fishing spear had been pulled from its side and now it obviously didn't want to move.

Two men took this to their advantage and ran forward, one hitting Ling out of the way, almost instantly the creature's viciousness started up again. With a snarl it hit one man in the face with its tail and the spikes cut through the flesh easily. The other was able to quickly grab the creature's wrists, with some effort he was able to forcibly roll it over and tie its wrists behind its back. Snarling and writhing, it struggled as it was lifted and carried towards the spare cabin; the prince ran after them and watched as the creature was thrown into a tub of seawater. The men left almost instantly and the boy went over to the creature, which looked angry, pained and tired but also faintly scared, **"Are you okay?"**

Slowly the creature's pupils dilated again and slowly it shook its head as it shifted slightly, in all honesty the tub was a little small for it considering the thing was over seven foot long. **"I'm sorry."** Ling said softly and the creature's eyes slowly began drooping, **"I'll leave you to sleep."** He mumbled as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

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Well he'd certainly gotten himself into a mess. First off he defied his father by going near a ship with humans on it. Secondly he'd saved the little boy, third he attacked two of his siblings and fourth, he'd been caught. Sinking a little further into the water he blew air out of his mouth making a soft bubbling noise. If he ever got out of here he'd have hell to pay for not following the rules like he should've.

Well he did follow one. He hadn't spoken that much to the humans, only one to the kid but that was it and sure he'd used the only words he knew but that's way beside the point. Closing his eyes he sighed a bit and sunk under the water completely before going to sleep.

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Around noon Ling decided to check up on the sea creature again, poking his head through the door he was greeted by the sight of glowing amethyst eyes staring right at him. **"Are you hungry? I have some fish."** He asked softly as he walked in being careful not to spill the bucket of fish he had. A small trilling noise came from the tub and the creature sat up slightly, the prince walked further into the room and set the bucket down before taking out a fish. Gingerly he held it out to the creature and it shifted again, sitting up more before it leaned closer to his hand and sunk its teeth into the fish obviously being careful as to not hurt him. Amazed, he watched as the creature bit the fish in half with its powerful jaws and then used its tongue to maneuver the rest of the fish into its mouth.

This continued until the sea creature was full, Ling stood and put the last of the fish into the water not wanting to throw them out in case the creature got hungry while he was busy. **"I've got to go now. I'll be back in a while."** He said and he could've sworn he saw it look sad for a second before it sunk back into its position from when he first came in. The prince headed out and bumped into Lan Fan as he turned around from closing the door behind him. **"Why were you in there? Did it hurt you, you have blood on you!"** the trainee guard quickly grabbed the boy's hands to look them over, **"It's not my blood. It's fish blood, he deserves to eat too so I fed him."** He stated now knowing from looking at the creature for so long that it was definitely a male.

Lan Fan's eyes went wide, **"Please stay away from it-." "Him." "…Him…Young Lord. It's-." "He's." "Dangerous."** She nearly begged and the prince sighed, annoyance in his gaze, he was pretty sure that the sea creature wouldn't hurt him. **"I'm perfectly safe around him. If he wanted to hurt me then he wouldn't have stopped thrashing whenever I went near him earlier."** He stated as he headed off to go wash off his hands before he went to his mother's cabin for his lessons. Two hours later he made his way back into the spare cabin and he was greeted by a soft crooning noise. To his surprise the creature was on the side of the tub closest to the door resting his chin on the edge. **"Were you waiting for me?"**

The sea creature seemed to purr as he nodded slightly, Ling walked over and noticed the rest of the fish were gone from the tub. **"Can you understand me completely?"** he asked and the creature nodded as the prince sat down, **"Then can you talk?"** snorting softly the creature shrugged while nodding a little, **"Hold onto me."** He said in a deep voice and the boy's eyes widened, **"So that was you who said that…is that all you can say?"** he asked and the sea creature just stared at him for a second before he nodded once, seeming to be embarrassed.

" **You can understand me but you can only say 'hold onto me'?"**

He nodded again and Ling thought for a second before he straightened up, **"Would you like to learn how to speak?"** the sea creature's eyes nearly bugged out of his head and he sat up quickly from his slouched over position. **"Would you?"** the prince asked again and the creature nodded quickly, his amethyst eyes glowing eagerly. **"Okay,"** he laughed as the sea creature began to purr and coo happily. **"Let's get started, alright?"** Ling made a mental note to try and figure out what the sea creature was, also figure out what he could call him.

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 _XD i was bored...lol x3 review for more! xP_


	2. Merman

_finally jeez XD i've been having so much trouble writing lately! uuugh! XD but hey, new chapter on this and yeah xP i'll work on the others!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing xP Greed, Ling, Lan Fan, Fu and all of the canon characters belong to the creator of the Fullmetal Alchemist series._

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A few weeks later the sea creature knew how to speak fluently and certainly enjoyed to, putting his book down with a yawn Ling stretched a little. **"I'm going to go to bed now."** He said and the creature looked up at him from staring at his book, **"Why?"** he asked and the prince chuckled, **"Because I need to sleep."** He stated as he stood and amethyst eyes took on an upset glow. **"Okay…can you bring me more food later?"** the boy smiled and nodded as he walked towards the door, **"Sure, see you tomorrow."**

" **Good night, Ling."** The sea creature sighed and he glanced over his shoulder, **"You finally said my name."** He smiled widely and the sea creature blinked slowly before smiling, **"Sleep well."** He said and Ling waved slightly as he stepped out of the cabin, sure they'd started moving his things into that cabin upon his request but his bed was still in his mother's cabin. **"Once again spending all of your free time with the fish, prince?"** the captain's voice made the prince jump in surprise and he looked at the man, **"I'm trying to decide if we should be merciful and kill it now instead of letting it starve when it gets to my father's palace."** The boy huffed; once again using the lie he'd been telling _everyone._

" **Ah, I see."** the captain didn't sound like he believed Ling but he walked away regardless, sighing the boy made his way to his mother's cabin before going to sleep. He woke early the next morning and hurried to gather some fish for the sea creature, but when he stepped into the cabin he was surprised to hear low hisses and growls. **"What is it about you that makes the prince spend his time with you?"** the captain's voice made the prince shiver and he realized that's why the creature was making those noises. **"Leave my cabin at once."** Ling ordered and instantly the sea creature stopped with his noises but continued to glare at the captain as the boy walked over with the fish. The captain gave the prince an unimpressed once-over before he began walking away, **"Don't you trust him, Greed?"**

The sea creature blinked slowly at Ling before his frown turned into a small smile, **"Is that my name? Greed?"** he asked the second the cabin door closed and the prince smiled as he held a fish out for the other to take. As always the creature took the fish carefully from the boy's hand, **"I find it fitting, the way you're always wanting more of something. More attention from me, more fish, more lessons. It seems like you're never satisfied."** He replied and Greed made a small purring noise around his mouthful of fish, **"I like it. Greed. Thank you, Ling."** The sea creature said after swallowing his mouthful, after the other took the last bit of that fish the boy stood and started wandering around.

" **Stick your wrists out."** He requested as he found his knife, which in all honesty he was supposed to have with him the whole time but he never liked carrying it around. Greed blinked and shifted in the tub until he could stick his wrists out behind him, being extra careful Ling cut the ropes and the sea creature made an animalistic noise of relief. He shifted and rubbed his wrists before looking at the prince suspiciously, **"Why-?" "It's cruel to leave you like that. Besides, you've earned it."** the boy cut the other off with a kind smile and surprise showed evidently on the creature's face. **"Aren't you afraid that I might hurt you?"** he asked and amethyst eyes went wide when Ling shook his head. **"Why?"**

" **Because the day we caught you whenever I was near you didn't thrash, you didn't growl or anything. You only attacked when I was safely away, you only talk to me and you only trust me. I have to mean something to you or you wouldn't do that."**

Greed sunk a little into the tub as his eyes narrowed, the two stared at each other for a while before the sea creature sighed. **"You're brave. Or foolish."** He stated as he sat up and reached out of the tub to grab a fish from the bucket, **"So…what were you doing last night..? Before you went to bed?"** Ling blinked and chuckled before he grabbed his book, which was still where he'd left it the night before. **"I was reading."** He replied and sat down next to the tub, leaning back against it so Greed could see the book too. **"Okay, I know what reading means, you told me, but what is it?"** the sea creature sounded confused and the prince laughed softly, **"Basically it's talking in your mind, you see words on the page and your mind reads it as a word you say."**

" **Teach me?"**

Laughing again, Ling nodded and opened the book to the first page before starting the sure to be easy task of teaching Greed to read. **"The Western Sage?"** the sea creature sounded skeptical and the boy nodded to show that he was right, **"It spoke!"** Lan Fan exclaimed making both of them shout in surprise, Greed growled and bared his sharp teeth at her before he stopped with a frown when Ling bopped him. **"Calm down, Greed. And yes, he did. I taught him."** The prince said and the trainee guard stared at the sea creature with wide eyes while he glared back with untrusting amethyst eyes. **"But it's a fish!"** at that Greed shot up into a sitting up position, his claws nearly puncturing through the side of the tub.

" **I'm no fish brat!"** he snapped obviously tempted to lash out with his very sharp claws, **"Greed stop it!"** Ling ordered making the sea creature flop back down grumbling in annoyance, **"Please leave, Lan Fan, he doesn't trust you so you're making him uncomfortable."** The prince asked and the trainee looked at him with wide eyes, **"How can a fish feel uncomfortable?!"** Greed growled lowly and hit the tub with his tail making Lan Fan jerk away in surprise, **"Care to guess how easy it'd be to rip you apart?"** the sea creature asked looking at his claws in faux admiration, the boy sighed and stood, **"Are you hungry, Greed?"**

Lan Fan looked ready to grab Ling and run out of the room but she obviously didn't dare get anywhere within Greed's reach. **"Not really, thanks though. But could you see if you can convince someone to change the water, it's going stale and I feel like I'm going to dissolve or some shit."** The prince nodded and grabbed the trainee's wrist to pull her out of the cabin behind him, **"We have to tell the captain, it got loose, who knows what it could've done to you if I hadn't have come sooner?!"** Lan Fan exclaimed and the boy stopped to face his friend and soon to be guard with an angry expression. **"I let Greed's wrists go. It's been what, two or three weeks? How would you feel if that'd happened to you? And no one, _no one_ needs to know about it!" ** he hissed before hurrying off to find someone to help him change the water in Greed's tub, which that didn't take long. Soon he walked back into his cabin with two burly sailors walking behind him, Greed looked up lazily and shifted.

In a few short minutes they'd gotten the sea creature out of the tub, changed the water and put him back. Though they'd put the tub out on the deck so that Greed could get some sunlight. The prince was lounging on the deck while the other seemed to hum and purr from being outside for once. **"Read to me?"** the sea creature asked quickly making him glance up in surprise, **"Okay."** The boy said before beginning to read to Greed from where they'd left off when Lan Fan had come in.

" **Ling, are you ready for your studies?"**

Both of them looked up at Ling's mother's voice and Greed made a small whining noise when the prince stood. **"Oh shush, it won't take long."** The boy chided and the sea creature stuck his tongue out playfully before splashing a little bit of the water at him. He laughed and wiped the water off his face before hurrying after his mother, **"Why do you spend so much time around that creature? Don't get attached to it." "Him."** He made sure to make his studies quick so that he got back to Greed quickly but when he ran out onto the deck he was greeted by a loud screech of pain. **"What plans do you have for the prince? What made you want to bewitch a child?"** the captain demanded twisting the blade he had dug into Greed's shoulder, the sea creature cried out again.

" **Stop it! Put him down now!"** Ling shouted making everyone on deck freeze and look at him, that is everyone but Greed. **"I said, _put him down_!" ** the prince snapped and the two holding the sea creature above the tub dropped him. Greed reached up and viciously ripped the knife from his shoulder before glaring at the captain as he dropped it outside of the tub. **"Put him back in my cabin, now and so help me I hear one sound, _one sound_ that comes from him and I can guarantee that you will no longer have jobs working for my father." **He ordered and within under a minute the sea creature had been put back into the boy's cabin, angrily he slammed the door shut behind the last sailor and hurried towards Greed. **"Are you okay?"** he asked as he took a look at the other's shoulder, **"I'm alright, it'll heal."**

Ling looked up guiltily and Greed put on a forced smile, **"Trust me, okay?"** he reached up to ruffle the prince's hair before he sunk down into the water until it covered the wound in his shoulder. **"Watch."** The sea creature ordered and the boy did as told only to gape in odd intrigue as the stab wound slowly closed, **"Sea water speeds up my healing process."** Greed explained when he received a bewildered look from the small boy, **"Oh…wait."** Ling shot over to his bookshelf and began taking out books before opening them one by one until he exclaimed triumphantly. **"Folk who live in the sea, look like they're half fish, varying shades of purple eyes, breathe underwater and heal quickly from sea water. You're a mermaid! Well a merman, but still!"**

The merman tilted his head questioningly before he snorted softly, **"Alright, so you've figured out what I am, now what?"** he questioned and Ling shrugged as he pulled up a chair next to the tub so he could sit down, **"Not sure, guess I'm going to have to find a way to keep my mother from giving you to my father."** He said and Greed made a noise of annoyance, **"I don't want to be given to anyone!"** the prince reached over to gently pat the now sulking merman's head, **"Oh don't worry about anything. I'll get you back free somehow."** He promised and the other sighed loudly, sliding underneath the water completely, **" _I'm going to try to sleep a little, alright?_ " **

Ling smiled and nodded, standing up with a sigh, **"I'm going to start moving more of my stuff in here."** He said and Greed nodded as he closed his amethyst, the prince walked from the cabin and into his mother's. He spent the rest of the day moving his stuff from one cabin to the other, eventually the merman woke around sunset. **"Hungry?"** Ling asked as he put the bucket of fish he was carrying down next to the tub, **"Yeah, have you been working the whole day?"** Greed hummed as he took a fish and bit in half, the boy nodded as he put the last of his books onto a shelf.

" **Yeah,"** he turned to the other. **"I've got everything in here though."**

The merman grunted, nodding and swallowing his mouthful of fish, **"That's good."** He grinned widely and the prince snorted before tossing a fish at him, **"Eat."** Greed snorted and tossed the fish back at Ling, his grin widening. **"I'm no seal, I don't eat fish that get tossed at me."** He mused making the boy laugh loudly as he sat down on his bed, the two of them were quiet as Greed ate and stayed that way for a while after. Up until someone opened the door of Ling's cabin, the merman growled and threw the bucket at the person making the prince jump in surprise.

" **What do you want?"** Ling demanded lowly as he stood and glared at the captain, who seemed transfixed on the fact that Greed no longer was hurt. **"Answer the kid and stop staring at me you damn prick!"** the merman hissed, clearly pissed off from what had happened earlier that day. Slowly the captain tore his gaze from Greed to look at the boy. **"We are going to make dock at dawn."**

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 _review for another chapter! XD see ya~ *waves and leaves*_


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